Talia

“Alexander Devine stepped in and made such an unforgettable impact on our lives. We count our blessings for the continuous support they give us. They’ve enabled us to watch Talia enjoy a new, safe and exciting environment at their hospice, given us respite from her medical demands and most importantly backed us as a family through every step of our journey”

Gemma, Talia’s mum

Talia was born in October 2017 with a number of serious medical conditions. Soon after she was born, doctors had to tell her parents the devastating news that they were unsure how long she would survive.

Talia spent her first few days undergoing a ‘cooling process’ to slow brain damage. In the following 12 months, this incredible little girl fought off bacterial meningitis, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, caught bronchiolitis, underwent heart surgery, was diagnosed with CHARGE syndrome and vocal palsy, underwent a further operation to be given a tracheostomy and was pronounced profoundly deaf.

After a whole year in hospital, Talia was finally discharged and able to go home. But with ongoing complex medical conditions, she needed 24/7 care which was an all-consuming and overwhelming task for Talia’s Mum, Gemma, and her family. Alexander’s Care Team stepped in to give the family the vital support they need to cope with every day life and continue to provide specialist nursing care, opportunities for Talia to do things other children her age would do and give Talia’s parents the much-needed respite they deserve.

Watch Talia’s story…

“Having a couple of hours respite changed my life in those early days. It wasn’t easy leaving Talia at first, but I quickly learnt I could trust and depend on the incredible Alexander’s Nurses.” Gemma, Talia’s Mum. “As time went on, we used the hospice service in many other ways. We as a family benefited from Talia spending a full day at the children’s hospice. It wasn’t until she was there, we realised how intensely we focused on Talia and her needs and how often we overlooked those of her siblings. Day care meant we could both watch her brothers play football and unite as a unit again. I can’t put into words how important this was for us. As amazing as Talia’s brother are with her, their lives changed dramatically when she was born and time focused on them without the worry of tending to her health was invaluable, and still to this day remains a turning point in healing our family.”

“To this day we get so much from what the children’s hospice service offers. Talia is a very social girl. Just interacting with others and testing new equipment, toys and experiences in a safe and fully equipped setting she’s gained so much confidence and her little world opened up no end. For Talia’s brothers, the sibling events enable them to confide with the only other people who fully understand the worries, demands, frustrations and responsibilities that come with being a sibling to a child with life-limiting conditions.”

Help us continue to be there for families like Talia’s. By making a donation today, large or small, you will be providing specialist care and vital support for families who care for children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions.

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